Brake mechanism for cars.



E. RAMSAY.

BRAKE MECHANISM FOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED 0012.26, 1009.

950,345. Patented Feb.22, 1910.

UNITE STATES PATENT @FFIEE.

ERSKINE RAMSAY, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

BRAKE MECHANISM FOR CARS.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

Serial No. 524,768.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERSKINE Ramsay, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama,have invented certain Improvements in Brake Mechanism for Cars, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to brake mechanism for cars, and especially to suchmechanism adapted for use on mine and other like cars.

In the brake mechanism usually employed on mine cars, the connectionbetween the brake rods, which directly move the brake blocks or shoestoward and from car wheels, is such that the brake shoes on oppositesides of the car must travel a fixed distance, because the amount ofmovement imparted by the brake lever to the brake rods is fixed and thesame for each side. As a result, the brake shoes must be nicelyadjusted, as otherwise the pressure of the shoes on the wheels 011 bothsides of the car will not be the same, and in consequence, the wheels onone side of the car may be braked while those on the other side would befree. Furthermore, wear on the brake shoes or blocks must be the same,regardless of whether one brake block might wear faster than the otherwith the same pressure on the wheels, as unequal wear would renderinoperative one of the shoes or blocks, necessitating renewal of suchblock; and in taking off a block, when worn or broken, it would also benecessary to take off the other; or it would require consid erableadjustment to bring the new block and the old block, if retained, inproper relation to insure the equal pressure upon the wheels on bothsides of the car.

The object of my invention is to overcome the difliculties abovedescribed by providing an equalizing element in the brake operatingconnection adapted to insure the same pressure of the brake blocks orshoes, on the wheels on opposite sides of the car, under all conditlons,and with this ob ect in view my I invention consists in the novelconstruction of brake mechanism and details thereof, as hereinafterdescribed, with reference to the accompanying drawings, and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an end view of a mine car, showing myinvention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; and Fig. 8 is afragmentary section through the brake block on line 5-5 of Fig. 2,showing the l manner of connecting the same to the car frame.

Referring to the drawings, in which the same reference charactersdesignate the same or corresponding parts in all the views, the letter Adesignates the body of a mine or other car mounted upon wheels B.Mounted between the wheels on each side of the car is a brake block C,vertically movable between the said wheels, to which block is socured aguide rod D, passing through and guided by a bracket 1*], fixed to thecar body. The opposite ends of the brake blocks C are shaped and adaptedto bear upon the peripheries of the car wheels B, to brake the same. Oneach side of the car is a rock shaft F, mounted in bearings I, havingarms G extending outwardly and pivotally connected to straps K, securedto the upper side of the brake block. Extending inwardly from the saidrock shaft F are arms II connected by equalizing bar or bars J, in theopposite ends of which bars are slots 9' engaging pins 71. extendingfrom each of the arms II, thereby forming an adjustable connectionbetween I said equalizing bars and each of said arms H. Pivotallyconnected with the bars J is a link L having a pivotal connection withthe brake operating lever M, provided with a suitable handle andconfined by a suitable notched guide 1*, attached to the end of the car.

\Vith the construction described, it will be observed that upon movingthe brake lever M to the left, Fig. 1, the equalizing bars J willtransmit motion to the brake shoes through the arms H and the rockshafts F on each side of the car, imparting a downard i'novement to thebrake blocks causing the same to bear upon the wheels to brake the same.By reason of the pivotal adjustable connection between the arms 11 onthe opposite sides of the cars, through the medium of the equalizingbars J, it will be obvious that the same pressure will be transi mittedby the brake shoes on the opposite i sides of the cars, regardless ofthe extent of l l movement of the inner end of the levers H, necessaryto impart such pressure, since the equalizing bars will adjustthemselves, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1, according ito thedistance each block must move to cause it to bear upon the wheels withthe l same pressure.

In order to provide for separate adjustment of the brake blocks, thestraps K are provided with a series of holes 70, through any one ofwhich the bolt connecting the arms G with the straps may be passed.Similarly, the link L is provided with a series of holes Z through anyone of which the bolt connecting the lever M with said link may bepassed. It will thus be seen that it is not necessary to efliect niceadjustment of the brake shoes with respect to the car wheels, in orderto insure the same braking pressure on each side of the car, as in theformer devices of this kind, nor would it be necessary to replace bothbrake blocks when one happens to be worn out or is broken.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a brake mechanism for mine and other cars, the combination withthe wheels on opposite sides of the car, of a single brake blockvertically movable between the wheels on each side of the car andbearing upon both wheels, a brake operating shaft on each side connectedto the blocks, an equalizing connection between said shafts forpermitting them to move different distances in ap plying the brakes, anda brake lever having a pivotal connection therewith, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a brake mechanism for mine and other cars, the combination withthe wheels on opposite sides of the car, of brake blocks adapted to movefrom and toward the wheels, a brake lever, brake operating shafts 011opposite sides of the car connected to the brake blocks, an equalizingbar or bars connecting said shafts and brake lever, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a brake mechanism for mine and other cars, the combination withthe wheels on opposite sides of the car, of brake blocks movable towardand from said Wheels, rock shafts on opposite sides of the car connectedto the brake blocks and having arms extending inwardly, equalizing baror bars pivotally connecting said arms, and a brake lever pivotallyconnected to said equalizing bar or bars, substantially as'described.

In a brake mechanism for mine or other cars, the combination with theWheels on opposite sides of the car, of brake blocks movable toward andfrom said wheels, rock shafts mounted on opposite sides of the carhaving outwardly extending arms connected to the brake blocks, and armsextending in wardly, equalizing bar or bars pivotally connecting saidarms, and a brake lever connected to said bar or bars, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERSKINE RAMSAY.

Vitnesses R. D. CURRY,

WV. A. FARISS.

